Crossing the Magic Roundabout in an emergency services vehicle - A229 Pro

[Nigel]

Exposure seems a little dark, is this normal for the A229 Pro, or has it been turned down?

 

[Dadi_T]

Or maybe that almost 70% sky alignment...

 

[Nigel]

Yes, pointing it a bit lower would help, but I'm not sure that would sort it.
Maybe using HDR would help, since contrast seems a bit high.

 

[speedingcheetah]

Exposure seems a little dark, is this normal for the A229 Pro, or has it been turned down?

Is this you? or just a vid you find on Youtube? (Edit: in a thread labeled not recorded by you... answer my own question)
And the front cam does seem to me it is a bit to high pointed, too much sky.
Hard to tell in the daytime, but, feel like there is not much emergency flashing lighting on that vehicle being driven. Not seen refection's in other cars etc. No interior mounted lights like many unmarked vehicles have.

 

[Nigel]

Is this you?

No, just spotted the use of a A229 Pro, which we have seen very little daytime footage from up until now, so thought people might be interested.

Hard to tell in the daytime, but, feel like there is not much emergency flashing lighting on that vehicle being driven.

He is a paramedic, so I don't think he is entitled to big blue flashing lights, it is lit more like an undercover cop car, with the flashing lights probably only properly visible from the front, and being a dark colour when everyone is looking for the bright white ambulance or police car with reflective strips down the side, they are not understanding what is happening very quickly. Also, we have different rules for moving out of the way of emergency vehicles than you do in the USA.

 

[speedingcheetah]

Also, we have different rules for moving out of the way of emergency vehicles than you do in the USA.

How? Plain simple., emergency vehicle behind you with lights/sirens on, you move out of the way.
Most accepted direction to move in USA is move to the right, as Emergency Vehicle/Police say to the left in far left lane when possible.
In that video, cars moved in both directions to get out way and make path, which happen here to alot.

He got his unboxing video of cam here

 

[speedingcheetah]

, with the flashing lights probably only properly visible from the front,

I read some of the comments now on YT, and yea, people say his lights must be better than previous vehicle, since other drivers responding better. Must be all external lighting.
Not sure how crazy UK other other countries are with their vehicle emergency lighting, but here, many places have nearly every useable inch of the vehicle and body lines with LED flashers and strobe.
Todays LED light bars and add on inset lighting are so damn bright, clear can be seen even in bright clear sunny day.

EDIT. YEs. he now has an Audi damn fine

 

[Nigel]

Don't understand why you would choose an all black car for an emergency vehicle, but it does show up the lights better!

Also, the siren system seems to be attached to the horn button, so you get a beep every time he switches the siren mode, he is not intentionally hooting, which seems a bit confusing to the other traffic!

 

[speedingcheetah]

Don't understand why you would choose an all black car for an emergency vehicle, but it does show up the lights better!

Also, the siren system seems to be attached to the horn button, so you get a beep every time he switches the siren mode, he is not intentionally hooting, which seems a bit confusing to the other traffic!

Yea. i was wondering that too. Would expect at least some reflective strips or something at least, like their police vehicles have.
The siren/lights tied to car horn, I have seen that here before. In absence of a main controller box, that work ok for pre-programed kits. (sometimes used on covert or personal off-duty vehicles)
I have worked with some "CODE 3" branded kits here and control boxes.
Bypass switch can disable the combined horn/siren trigger. Or, tripple press horn to enable bypass in some kits.

 

[Nigel]

Yea. i was wondering that too. Would expect at least some reflective strips or something at least, like their police vehicles have.

People might get out of the way faster if they could tell that he is a paramedic and not a drugs squad or whatever!

How? Plain simple., emergency vehicle behind you with lights/sirens on, you move out of the way.

Here, if it looks like undercover cops/drugs squad/etc then many would not bother! Essentially they, and you have to follow the normal rules of the road, with him having. a few exceptions such as treating red lights as give way signs and being able to make his own speed limits. People do make an effort to get out of the way of ambulances, the fire brigade and the coasguard, most will make an effort for a properly marked police vehicle, many would make little effort for a black car with blue flashing lights. If he fitted green flashing lights then I think he would do better, since that indicates a doctor, and people would make an effort for them!

 

[Screen name taken]

The various sirens are talked about in one of CM's other videos.

All UK emergany vehicles these days have the on/change/off button associated with the horn button. You hardly hear it.
The car works well and there is little issues with the public not responding to it. Green lights are for Doctors vehicles. Like amber flashing lights, green lights afford the vehicle no special priority, and the driver is expected to adhere to all current traffic rules such as speed limits and traffic lights.

 

[speedingcheetah]

People might get out of the way faster if they could tell that he is a paramedic and not a drugs squad or whatever!


Here, if it looks like undercover cops/drugs squad/etc then many would not bother! Essentially they, and you have to follow the normal rules of the road, with him having. a few exceptions such as treating red lights as give way signs and being able to make his own speed limits. People do make an effort to get out of the way of ambulances, the fire brigade and the coasguard, most will make an effort for a properly marked police vehicle, many would make little effort for a black car with blue flashing lights. If he fitted green flashing lights then I think he would do better, since that indicates a doctor, and people would make an effort for them!

So, you saying that people in the UK... just can't be bothered... LOL!

We have "Move Over" laws here. Fines and even jail time if you are proven to purposefully and knowingly ignore or impede the travel of a Emergency Vehicle with its lights/sirens on.
In many states, that even extend to Road Works/ Construction vehicles with Amber lights on while in or near a Construction site or doing work on side of a road.
And here i was thinking the UK was much more crazy with their road laws etc.
Though, we do not have "speed cams" and "Congestion charges" here in the USA.

 

[speedingcheetah]

The various sirens are talked about in one of CM's other videos.

All UK emergany vehicles these days have the on/change/off button associated with the horn button. You hardly hear it.
The car works well and there is little issues with the public not responding to it. Green lights are for Doctors vehicles. Like amber flashing lights, green lights afford the vehicle no special priority, and the driver is expected to adhere to all current traffic rules such as speed limits and traffic lights.

Yea. that seems to be his last vehicle, he has the new Audi now.

Why UK and other countries get super nice high end cars for their Emergency Service's... here in the USA, often cheaper Fleet style cars. Ford Explorer, Dodge Charger/Durango, Chevy Tahoe for SUV.
Never seen an Audi/BMW/Benz etc as an Emergency Vehicle here...
Seen some countries have Lambos and Porsche etc used as traffic Police cars

 

[Nigel]

We have "Move Over" laws here. Fines and even jail time if you are proven to purposefully and knowingly ignore or impede the travel of a Emergency Vehicle with its lights/sirens on.

No such laws here, in fact you can get into trouble if you break a law while trying to get out of the way, drive through a red light and get captured by a red light camera and you have to pay the fine! Driving up onto the sidewalk to get out of the way is illegal.

I don't think this causes a problem relative to your system though. Your high speed police chases are not allowed here, we solve the problem by the police recording the plate on their dashcam and online ANPR system, driving round to their home when the ANPR displays the address within seconds, then waiting for them to arrive - no need to capture them on the road as seems to be a requirement in USA...

As for ambulances, we have paramedics in local communities who can drop their main job, jump into their car equipped with defibrillator etc.and arrive in 2 or 3 minutes to deal with the heart attack. No need for an ambulance to drive dangerously long distance, they can drive safely and arrive when the patient has been stabilised.

Not sure what this guy does, he often drives long distance at high speed, which is unusual, so I guess he is a specialist in traffic accidents or something of the sort.

 

[Nigel]

Never seen an Audi/BMW/Benz etc as an Emergency Vehicle here...

Those are not necessarily luxury vehicles here, Audi and Benz make taxis, good quality work vehicles that can be bashed about and will last many miles, but they are often work specification rather than luxury specification. The reason they are chosen for emergency vehicles is that they do have some powerful engines and performance suspension available, while lesser brands like Ford do not have any high power engines, suspension etc. available for larger vehicles.

 

[mentadent]

Driving you really fast to a waiting list to die.

 

[speedingcheetah]

No such laws here, in fact you can get into trouble if you break a law while trying to get out of the way, drive through a red light and get captured by a red light camera and you have to pay the fine! Driving up onto the sidewalk to get out of the way is illegal.

I don't think this causes a problem relative to your system though. Your high speed police chases are not allowed here, we solve the problem by the police recording the plate on their dashcam and online ANPR system, driving round to their home when the ANPR displays the address within seconds, then waiting for them to arrive - no need to capture them on the road as seems to be a requirement in USA...

As for ambulances, we have paramedics in local communities who can drop their main job, jump into their car equipped with defibrillator etc.and arrive in 2 or 3 minutes to deal with the heart attack. No need for an ambulance to drive dangerously long distance, they can drive safely and arrive when the patient has been stabilised.

Not sure what this guy does, he often drives long distance at high speed, which is unusual, so I guess he is a specialist in traffic accidents or something of the sort.

The law makers not care for exceptions in those cases i guess...

And, here, criminals are not as dumb as that, to just go back home, or do crimes with their own cars.
Going to the address on file of the plate, if fleeing car even has one, useless, as the plate or car often stollen and who know where they go. Often crash car, or dump it random place, and go grab another one.
Chase policy vary wildly among departments. Many do have strict limits now, only allow if for severe felony or such.
Other departments, they chase you for even simple traffic infraction cause they think u ran for something more (which often is the case).
In my area, city cops not allowed to chase unless given explicit permission to by Chief, State Patrol (who work mainly interstate hwys) have restrictions, but can choose to chase if traffic conditions allow.
County Sheriff, has specific trained team and vehicles for chases, and a Chopper and respond to car theft/carjacking etc.

We do have volunteer Firefighters, often in smaller or more rural area, that respond to fires even when at their normal job... but i do not think we have such Paramedics/EMS that does that. First Responders are a thing, but never seen them with full kitted out cars as if they were normal EMS Unit. Have seen Detectives and certain Police/Sheriff outfit their personal or a separate off-duty vehicle with gear, incase they need to respond when in transit to and from their home(if they not allowed to take their assigned Squad home as is the case for large cities. )

 

[Agie]

I read some of the comments now on YT, and yea, people say his lights must be better than previous vehicle, since other drivers responding better. Must be all external lighting.
Not sure how crazy UK other other countries are with their vehicle emergency lighting, but here, many places have nearly every useable inch of the vehicle and body lines with LED flashers and strobe.
Todays LED light bars and add on inset lighting are so damn bright, clear can be seen even in bright clear sunny day.

EDIT. YEs. he now has an Audi damn fine

Lease car, that makes sense - was wondering how he could afford that haha!

 

[Nigel]

And, here, criminals are not as dumb as that, to just go back home, or do crimes with their own cars.

If you steal a car to do your crime then the ANPR cameras will be watching, not a good idea.
No plate? The ANPR cameras will be watching and tracking your journey.
Made up plate? The ANPR cameras will know the plate does not match the car, so will call in the helicopter to watch the crime being committed...

dump it random place, and go grab another one.

The police drones or helicopter will be watching and tracking.

When I asked an experienced officer from another district to explain how difficult it was to track someone who had won clear in a chase, the answer came with a cool shrug. Not very difficult. “There’s always other options,” he said. Interviewing. Intel. Close scrutiny of CCTV. On his computer, he showed me how they tracked down one chase suspect who had ditched his stolen scooter, jogged a few blind corners and then removed his helmet, clearly revealing his face, all shown in CCTV images so numerous they ran together as if in a children’s flick-book. “We’ll get you,” the officer said.

but i do not think we have such Paramedics/EMS that does that. First Responders are a thing, but never seen them with full kitted out cars as if they were normal EMS Unit.

They have limited equipment, but enough that the ambulance can drive without taking risks, the ambulance has more equipment, enough that it can drive safely back to the hospital, or if not then the air ambulance helicopter is an option, used surprisingly often.

 

[Panzer Platform]

just spotted the use of a A229 Pro, which we have seen very little daytime footage from up until now,

I gathered daytime highway test footage on Monday with firmware 1009.
I haven't posted it because it does not look good.
Actually it looks terrible.
There is "Color Flickering" and "Brightness Flickering".
It just looks bad.
And the colors are off.
I captured a red fire truck, and it looks almost pink.
I was out in the middle of the day when the sun was high in the sky around 11:30AM - 12:30PM so the camera would have the best chance for "even" light distribution.
It was no help.
I did however find a GPS malfunction bug where the speed displayed on the text overlay in the recorded footage goes to 000MPH after 17 minutes of operation.
I was able to document it on two separate occasions, (both A229 Pro & A229 Plus).
I reported it, and the good news is they already knew about it, and "fixed" it with firmware 1030.
But still no fixes for night time HDR performance.